Echinacea plant named ‘Emily Saul’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Emily Saul’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and columnar plant habit; freely branching habit; large single inflorescence with dark red purple-colored ray florets, relatively large inflorescence discs; and strong flowering stems that hold the inflorescences upright.

Botanical designation: Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘EMILY SAUL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEchinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea×Echinaceaparadoxa, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Emily Saul’.

The new Echinacea originated from an open-pollination in July, 2002, ofan unnamed selection of Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection ofEchinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Echinacea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedopen-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Dahlonega, Ga., inJune, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea by tissue culture in acontrolled environment in Atlanta, Ga. since August, 2004, has shownthat the unique features of this new Echinacea are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Emily Saul has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotpye may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Emily Saul’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Emily Saul’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofEchinacea:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and columnar plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Large single inflorescences with dark red purple-colored ray        florets.    -   4. Relatively large inflorescence discs.    -   5. Strong flowering stems that hold the inflorescences upright.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the newEchinacea are more freely branching and differ in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the Echinaceacultivar Magnus, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inDahlonega, Ga., plants of the new Echinacea differed from plants of thecultivar Magnus in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea were more compact than plants of        the cultivar Magnus.    -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea and the cultivar Magnus differed        in stem and leaf coloration.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Echinacea were more fragrant        than flowers of plants of the cultivar Magnus.    -   4. Plants of the new Echinacea had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Magnus.    -   5. Plants of the new Echinacea had darker red purple-colored ray        florets than plants of the cultivar Magnus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Echinacea. The photograph show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Echinacea. The photograph comprises a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Emily Saul’ grown in a ground bedin an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Editions, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotograph and following observations and measurements described plantsgrown in Dahlonega, Ga. during the spring and summer in an outdoornursery and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Echinacea production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from about −5° C. to about 35° C.and night temperatures ranged from about −15° C. to about 21° C.Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were about one year old when the photograph anddescription were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa    cultivar Emily Saul.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Echinacea            purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Echinacea            purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 45 days            at 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Thick; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and            columnar plant habit; freely basal branching with about            seven basal branches; terminal inflorescences held upright            on strong peduncles. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 23 cm.        -   Basal branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Internode length: About 5.5 cm. Aspect: Upright. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A overlain with            183A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 14.75 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute; tapering.

    -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Irregularly dentate; indentations shallow and            widely-spaced.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; rough.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Darker than 147A; venation, close to 147B. Developing and            fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Darker and more green            than 147B; lateral veins, close to 147B; midvein, close to            150D.-   Petiole.—Length: About 8.5 cm. Diameter, at leaf base: About 5 mm.    Diameter, at stem attachment: About 1 cm. Texture, upper and lower    surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 147B to    147C; towards the stem, tinted with 183A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Rotate single inflorescence form with ray and            disc florets. Inflorescences mostly terminal; occasional            axially inflorescence development at upper leaf axils;            inflorescences held upright on strong peduncles.            Inflorescences persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Moderate; sweet.        -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from the spring            through the summer in Georgia.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about two weeks on the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 147A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.75 cm. Depth (height):            About 2 cm. Disc diameter: Large, about 4 cm. Receptacle            height: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.5 cm.            Receptacle color: Close to 155D.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.75 cm. Width: About 1 cm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate;            fused into a short corolla tube. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 20 arranged in a single whorl. Aspect:            Horizontal to drooping or slightly reflexed. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 61A. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 61B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            61B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 62A underlain            with close to 61A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex five-pointed. Length:            About 9 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 230. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Immature: 144A. Mature: Apex: 183A. Mid-section: 144A. Base:            155D.        -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Length:            About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex:            Sharply acute. Base: Tapering. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Apex: 187A; at the very apex, close to 25A.            Mid-section: 144A. Base: 155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 60 in about            three or four whorls. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About            5 mm. Shape: Linear to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 147A; towards            the base, 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamens per disc floret:            One. Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to            145D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to 146B to 146C. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About            4 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft; reflexed. Stigma color: Close to            150D. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 150D.            Ovary color: Close to 157D. Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Echinacea.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Echinacea.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Echinacea have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about −15° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Emily Saul’ as illustratedand described.